Man snatches toddler in grocery store, holds knife to her neck, is shot dead by police

[cali]

this is one case where I have no problem whatsoever with the police shooting the guy dead.

MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma -- A man was shot and killed after he snatched a 2-year-old girl out of a shopping cart and held her hostage in an Oklahoma grocery store.

The man removed the child from the shopping cart, held a knife to her and made crazy demands.

Officers spent 30 minutes negotiating with the man.

An officer shot the man in the head at point-blank range when he pulled the knife closer to the girl’s throat.

<snip>

http://www.khou.com/news/Man-snatches-toddler-out-of-shopping-cart-and-holds-her-hostage-in-grocery-store-213617691.html

mentally ill or not, the child was clearly at risk.

[NoOneMan]

1. He probably just didn't want to let that f*ckn punk get away

Come on cops...have some faith in this man to do the right thing

[Conway_Stewart]

2. Agreed

Sounds like an appropriate use of lethal force by the police under the circumstances.

[Dawson Leery]

3. It seems the police did not have any other choices.

The child was clearly going to be murdered otherwise.

[mokawanis]

4. What a nightmare

If that was my kid I'd want the cops to do the same thing. The child had to be protected.

[burnodo]

5. it's a shame that he had to die to be subdued

he could have had mental-problems. But this is what we want police for, to prevent a crazy person from murdering a child.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

6. "one case". Good, but this could be a gateway approval. If a person is not careful, they

could then approve of a law-abiding home owner shooting an armed intruder in their home.

Or approve of a rape victim owning a firearm in her home to deter another attack.

Or approve of law-abiding home owners to own firearms in their homes to deter unwanted criminals.

[bluedigger]

11. Or we could disarm all LEO's.

Vigilantism would work just as well. Right? Because the important thing is to use every news story to advance our political agendas after all.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

12. So YOU are arguing for "Vigilantism"? I don't care what your agenda is. It's nutty.

You are the only one who said:

"Or we could disarm all LEO's."

"Vigilantism would work just as well."

That is nutty. And, in my opinion, so is anyone who would raise that.

[Jenoch]

7. This was certainly a good shoot by the cop.

I know of one particular DUer that does not even want local cops to carry guns. I'm sure glad they do carry.

I sure hope the little girl's hearing was not damaged.

[Skittles]

8. suicide by cop?

[Sheldon Cooper]

9. That's what I'm thinking.

Especially since he was shot at point blank range.

[Conway_Stewart]

10. I think you are probably right...

That's how it sounds to me too.

[Brigid]

13. Put me down for that too.

Sounds like it's a distinct possibility here.

[Recursion]

14. Cops as judge, jury, and executioner? (nt)

[NickB79]

15. Is that a serious question?

We give police massive amounts of firepower, training, and the legal right to shoot citizens in defense of themselves or others when lives are threatened.

Unless we arm all police with non-lethal arms, of course they'll frequently end up being judge, jury and executioner, whether they want to or not.

[JI7]

16. what would be the alternative ? if he didn't have the baby or anyone else but just the knife

i don't think it would have been ok to shoot.

[flvegan]

17. Were that knife at your throat, your hypocrisy would be legendary...and convenient. n/t

[petronius]

18. I see what you did there... (nt)

[MrScorpio]

19. The only explanation that I can have for his actions is mental illness

Without knowing what the man and the cops said to each other, I think that the exchange would be the most telling.

[Nolimit]

20. I'm curious on how the girl is doing

I hope the little girl doesn't suffer any permanent hearing damage, a gun going off that close to her is no joke. Hopefully no powder burns either.

[NaturalHigh]

22. I've followed the story since it happened...

I haven't seen anything about how the little girl is doing. If I come across anything, I'll post it.

[NaturalHigh]

21. Bad deal all the way around.

Captain Huff definitely did what he had to do to save the child, but the man who was killed, Sammy Wallace, had serious mental problems. Nothing but victims in this case, including the officer who will have to live with the emotional burden of killing someone in the line of duty.

More...

http://newsok.com/hostage-taker-shot-by-midwest-city-police-ranted-fbi-and-illuminati-were-after-him/article/3856926